Faedra
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "shining" or "bright one".
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Faedra. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Faedra today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Faedra births was 1969 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Faedra. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Faedra. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
1969
7 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2022 SSA rank
#16,082
Tracked since 1969
Popularity
Faedra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Faedra from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 7 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1960s peak, Faedra remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Faedra by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Faedra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Faedra
The name Faedra has its origins in Greek mythology and literature. It is a variant spelling of the name Phaedra, which was derived from the Greek word "phaedros," meaning "bright" or "radiant."
The earliest known reference to the name Phaedra can be found in Greek tragedy, particularly in the works of Euripides and Seneca. In Euripides' play "Hippolytus," Phaedra is the wife of Theseus and the mother of Hippolytus. She develops an unhealthy obsession with her stepson, leading to tragic consequences.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Faedra was Faedra Inghirami, an Italian scholar and humanist who lived from 1470 to 1516. She was renowned for her knowledge of Greek and Latin literature and was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of Renaissance Italy.
In the 17th century, Faedra Palmerio (1590-1668) was an Italian painter known for her religious works and portraits. She was highly regarded for her skill and contributed to the artistic legacy of the Baroque period.
Moving forward in time, Faedra Sawyer (1860-1936) was an American actress and playwright who gained recognition for her performances on the New York stage in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In the realm of literature, Faedra Jacobs (1935-2004) was a British novelist and short story writer. Her works often explored themes of identity, relationships, and the complexities of modern life.
Another notable figure was Faedra Howell (1929-2011), an American educator and civil rights activist. She dedicated her life to promoting equal educational opportunities and advocating for social justice.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the name Faedra. While not a common name, it has been carried by individuals from various fields and backgrounds, each leaving their mark on their respective domains.
People
Faedra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Faedra as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Faedra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Faedra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Faedra going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Faedra a common name?
We classify Faedra as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Faedra most popular?
The single biggest year for Faedra was 1969, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Faedra is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Faedra in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Faedra a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Faedra in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Faedra still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Faedra in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Faedra can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Faedra?
See how many people have the name Faedra on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.